These avatars are dressed for a Jane Austen novel.
Screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

World of Warcraft may be the gold standard of massively multiplayer online role-playing games, but it's mostly about monsters, warriors, and physical battles. Sometimes you just want to cut your enemies down with a well-timed bit of gossip. If that sounds more your speed, then you should check out Ever, Jane, an MMO raising funds on Kickstarter.

You choose a proper English gentleman or lady as your avatar and move about through a world of high-stakes ball invitations, gossip, and curtsies. It's all about building up your reputation and status while subtly tearing down others without getting caught.

Everything about this MMO is a bit different from the norm. Personality traits don't hinge on magic skills or brute force, but rather qualities like duty, happiness, and kindness. There is a gossip system that lets you spread rumors and lie about your rivals. But, if you're not careful, your actions can backlash and erode your own status. It's all about the psychological intrigue.

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The Ever, Jane prototype is currently available for Windows, but a Mac port is promised soon. The prototype has been running into some technical hiccups, so you may have to be patient before you get a chance to explore the world. There will be a Kickstarter quest for new players to test out.

A $10 pledge gets you access to the game during development. Move up to $15 and you'll get a virtual ball-gown or a man's evening dress for attending a ball. The $25 level comes with an in-world horse to help you travel around.

If you want to vault yourself into the ranks of Ever, Jane royalty, then go for the $10,000 pledge and get a whole town named after your estate, the title of "Earl," and an actual Regency-style scarf for you to wear while you gossip and embroider your way through the virtual world of Jane Austen.

About the author

Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET's Crave blog. When not wallowing in weird gadgets and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
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